Spanish division separated from the main the Admiral; a Peerage was also granted body. The Captain, the Blenheim, the intended at first as that of a Viscount, but Excellent, and the Irresistible, under the afterwards changed to an Earldom. The respective commands of Commodore Nel- title he wished to be Orford, as originally son, Captains Frederick, Troubridge, Col- belonging to the navy, having been conferlingwood, and Martin, were the ships that red on Admiral Russell after the battle of dashed into the midst of them. The Orion, La Hogue; but the King fixed on that of St. Sir James Saumarez, the Prince George, Vincent. The Vice-Admirals, Thompson Vice-Admiral Parker, and the Colossus, and Parker, were created Baronets; and Murray, were also in the thickest of the Nelson, Knight-Commander of the Bath. fight. The rest of the fleet were partially The fleet with the prizes proceeded to the engaged in preventing the larger portion of Tagus to refit, where, by the end of the the Spaniards from joining and assisting the month, they were ready and reinforced to division from which the captures were made. twenty-one sail of the line; when, receivCaptain Calder, the flag captain, was sent ing a signal from a frigate off the baroff with the account of the action; but The enemy at sea!'-such was the promptalking over the events of the day, Calder titude exhibited, that by daybreak some of hinted, whether the spontaneous manœuvre the ships reported themselves ready for sea; that carried Commodore Nelson and Col- and at the close of the day the whole squadlingwood into the brunt of the battle, was ron, thirteen sail of the line, sailed in purnot an unauthorized departure, by the suit of the enemy. Commodore, from the prescribed mode of attack? 'It certainly was so,' replied the magnanimous Commander; and if ever you commit such a breach of your orders, I will forgive you also.'

Enough has been written and said on the subject of the mutiny in the fleet at the Nore and Spithead ; but after so glorious victory off Cape St. Vincent, it could have been little expected that a mutinous spirit would make its appearance in the triumphant fleet before Cadiz. A Portuguese priest, the confessor of the Catholics in the A Cofnin, showed to that Admiral a letter he had received from two seamen of the Ville de Paris, acquainting him of their intention to assassinate the Commander-in-chief, as soon as the expected resistance should have In the Ville de Paris too, the broken out. villain Bott, the Corresponding Society's delegate on the Cadiz station, confessed, in dying, that the intention was to hang Lord St. Vincent, and transfer the command of the fleet to one Davidson, another delegate, and of couse a rebel.

Captain Cockburn, (now Sir George,) of the Minerve, towed out the damaged Captain, and carried Nelson in his boat to the flag-ship, when the Admiral received his, on the quarterde Much nonsense was talkabout Nelson's name not being mentioned in the public despatch. The treatment Lord Howe received, but three years before, for selecting names contrary to his own wish and intention, but by command, was alone sufficient for Sir John to avoid a similar dilemma; but he had three Vice-Admirals, Thompson, Parker, and Waldegrave, one of whom, Parker, in the Prince George, behaved most gallantly. Was he to leave them out, and Nelson to stand alone? In The first practical outbreak of the muhis letter, however, to Lord Spencer of the tiny was on the Kingfisher's 'deck, where same date, he makes honorable mention of Captain Maitland, by a thrust of his sword, all who had an opportunity of distinguishing slew one of the rebels and wounded some others he was tried at his own request, themselves. He thus begins his letter :'The correct conduct of every officer and and acquitted. And here we cannot forman in the squadron on the 14th instant, bear noticing a most reprehensible passage made it improper to distinguish one more in Captain Brenton's work, the improbabil than another in my public letter; because ity of which, acquainted as he was with I am confident that, had those who were Lord St. Vincent's character, ought alone least in the action been in the situation of to have prevented the insertion of it. He the fortunate few, their behavior would not have been less meritorious.'

Votes of thanks were given by the two Houses of Parliament, and by a message from the Crown to the House of Commons, a pension of £3000 a-year was settled on

says, 'Lord St. Vincent did not certainly participate in the feeling which dictated the admonition, (there was none;)* for I

*The sentence only says, that the means taken by Captain Maitland were spirited and suc cessful, but hasty, and not tempered with that

would incur the censure of the sanctimoni-perintend their proceedings in the Medious; but he was also aware that the instant terranean. In Lord St. Vincent's fleet bepunishment of death on one man, might be fore Cadiz were three subordinate flag offithe means of preserving the lives of thousands. 'I hope,' he writes to Lord Spencer-'I hope I shall not be censured by the bench of Bishops, as I have been by ViceAdmiral for profaning the Sabbath.' The criminals asked five days to prepare, in which they would have hatched five hundred treasons. His conduct on this urgent occasion was highly approved by the Board of Admiralty; and Nelson writes to Sir R. Calder, 'I am sorry that you should have to differ with - (Q. St. Vincent;) but had it been Christmas-day instead of Sunday, I would have executed themwe know not what might have been hatched by a Sunday's grog; now, your discipline is safe. I talked to our people, and I hope with good effect: indeed they seem a very quiet set.'

After a few more executions of rebels, imported into the Cadiz fleet from Spithead, the chief of whom were delegates of the Corresponding Society, or United Irishmen, one of them, in the Princess-Royal, pointed out to his colleagues Cadiz as their future country. Fortunate was it for England that a man of such perspicacity, and unbending firmness of mind as Lord St. Vincent, was sent to command on this distant station; and that the disaffected ships were placed under his stern orders, to restore them, as he succeeded in doing, to loyalty and discipline. Here, indeed, this great Commander showed that he possessed all the chief mental qualities necessary to greaton great emergencies. Others then, as before, showed a courage equally intrepid; but no man that ever held command in the British Navy, ever showed in a higher degree that force of mind, that steadiness of purpose, and that undoubting reliance on native resources, by which alone can great successes, in perilous times, be achieved. It is not too much to say, that a Commander-in-chief with less nerve would have endangered the loss of the whole fleet. Nelson, from a sense of duty to his country, would have pursued similar steps, with all the milk of human kindness in his bosom, and so would Troubridge; but having named them, we pause.

It now (1795) became necessary to watch the French force in Toulon, and su

cers, of whom Nelson was the junior; and by a simultaneous coincidence of opinion (not at all surprising) between Lord St. Vincent and Lord Spencer, they severally decided that it was a duty owing to the country to place this important command under her choicest though younger son.' Lord St. Vincent was fully aware that he would incur a world of enmity, vexation, and annoyance' by this selection. Among the most disappointed and intemperate was Sir John Orde, who wrote an accusatory and fretful letter to Lord Spencer, and sent a copy of it to Lord St. Vincent; to which his Lordship thus replied :-'The letter you have done me the honor to communicate, expresses precisely what I should have done under similar circumstances, for I never was blessed with prudence and forbearance. At the same time, it must be acknowledged that those who are responsible for measures, have an undoubted right to appoint the men they prefer to carry them into execution.' Seeing the necessity of getting rid of so troublesome an officer as Sir John Orde, he took occasion to send him home in the Blenheim, with the following short note:I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated off Cadiz, 3d August, expressed in terms of insubordination, that even in these times I did not expect to receive from an officer of your rank.' On Sir John's arrival in England, he applied for a Courtmartial on the Commander-in-chief, which was of course refused; but some time afterwards, when Lord St. Vincent returned to England, he received a challenge from Sir John, which his Majesty laid his commands upon him not to accept; and here the affair ended.

The Mediterranean having now become the scene of active operations, Lord St. Vincent proceeded to Gibraltar, from whence he could not only more conveniently carry on the correspondence, but also make arrangements for repairing the defects of the Mediterranean squadron, of which he anticipated a speedy occasion. The splendid victory of the Nile, the operations against Minorca, and other minor affairs, were the objects he contemplated, and which very soon called for assistance. The actions of Nelson belong to himself, and have been recorded in the annals of the British Navy; but they belong not immediately to the life of Lord St. Vincent. On his hearing the

result of the battle of the Nile, he wrote to Nelson,-God be praised! and you and your gallant band rewarded by a grateful country, for the greatest achievement the history of the world can produce!'

up to as being that officer; but his health was still in a precarious state. The Admiralty caused frequent inquiries to be made. of Dr. Baird, his lordship's confidential medical adviser, who reported his case to Despatches were shortly received that Mi- be one of doubtful issue. A change of norca was taken without the loss of a single weather, however, produced a fortunate man; and Sir James Saumarez, having ar- turn; and Baird thought it probable that, rived with the disabled ships and prizes ta- as the genial season was advancing, a faken at the battle of the Nile, the indefati-vorable result might be expected. gable Admiral, defying the accumulation of Lord St. Vincent was then at Bath. One arrears, set about the immediate repair of morning when the doctor paid his customthe ships, attending in person the whole ary visit, his lordship said, Baird, I am goday, though up generally till two in the ing afloat.' 'Surely, my lord, you are morning reading and writing his letters. not' 'Stop, Baird,' his lordship replied, The prizes were patched up for Lisbon, but I anticipate all you are going to say; but he announced his determination that the the King and the Government require it, battered ships of his fleet should be made and the discipline of the British Navy desea-worthy at Gibraltar; and by his unceas- mands it. It is of no consequence to me ing exertions and mental resources, the whether I die afloat or ashore: the die is Nile squadron was repaired without a sin- cast.' He then informed Baird that Lord gle ship quitting the station. But the ex- Spencer had come to him from London for cessive fatigue, both of mind and body, the purpose of requiring his services, preyed so much upon his health, that the that all was settled. His Secretary was Admiralty, having received notice of his ap- sent for, and in a few days his flag was flyprehensions that he must retire or sink,' ing in the Namur at Portsmouth. Sir George sent out Lord Keith with reinforcements to Grey was appointed flag captain, and Sir the fleet before Cadiz. Thomas Troubridge captain of the fleet.

and

Shortly after this his lordship returned to It was a noble fleet that was ready to Cadiz bay; but found himself so ill and receive him-his flag in the Ville de Paris, of worn down as to be obliged to go back to 110 guns; two of 100 guns; five of 98; Gibraltar. During his illness, which con- two of 90; one of 80; twenty-nine of 74 fined him to his bed, he was informed that guns-in all, forty sail. Two Admirals a powerful French fleet, twenty-six sail of with flags at the main, and four Rear-Adthe line, with frigates, was passing the mirals. His Lordship, however, was very Rock into the Mediterranean. Invalid as speedily given to understand, that the proud he was, he superintended the equipment in distinction conferred by the command of person, hoisted his flag in the Ville de Par- such a fleet, was not to be unaccompanied is, and the entire fleet was watered, provis- with vexation. Immediately after the genioned, stored, and got ready for sea in two eral salute to the flag, when the Admirals days. His illness, however, increasing, he and Captains repaired to the Ville de Paris transferred the entire command to Lord to pay their respects to the new CommandKeith, and repaired in the Argo to Gibral-er-in-chief-at that moment he was appristar, and thence to England. ed by the Admiral next to him in com

cent, out of respect for that Admiral, who was an old acquaintance, took no notice of his ill-timed observation, but contented himself with submitting the circumstance of the encounter to Lord Spencer.

Information had been conveyed to Lord mand, of the disaffection he felt at being Spencer, that all was not right in the Chan- superseded from a command which he connel fleet; that the deep-rooted sedition sidered his birthright, having always servamong the crews, so far from being exter-ed in the Channel fleet." Lord St. Vinminated, afforded but too serious grounds for apprehending another mutiny in that fleet, if speedy and efficient measures were not taken to subdue the insubordination of the men, and correct the laxity of discipline in the officers; that, in short, none but a Commander-in-chief of the highest reputation, of a bold, firm, and decisive character, could hope to succeed in restoring a proper degree of obedience and subordination. Lord St. Vincent was at once looked JULY, 1844. 26

This commencement of a grievance was speedily followed up by an act of indiscretion, which carried with it, untentionally perhaps, its own correction. One of the captains gave as a toast, at the table of the same Admiral, the second in command,

(who, it is said, had the forgetfulness to permit it to be drunk in his presence,) May the discipline of the Mediterranean never be introduced into the Channel fleet.' Lord St. Vincent could not hear of this without its exciting in his mind great surprise and regret. He considered it as a daring attempt to establish a system of insubordination among the principal officers, and to create a feeling of unpopularity in the minds of the inferior officers and men. He saw at once that the emergency had arisen which required something to be done, and done immediately; and he felt that, although his strength was not recovered, he had nerve enough to go through it. 'Lord St. Vincent,' says Mr. Tucker,' again came forth with the utmost composure, and, before he had even quitted his chair-"Bring me the Mediterranean Order Books, Mr. Tucker;"' and he then directed that every single order tending to enforce the discipline and general good management of the ships, and every regulation imposing those restrictions which had been productive, in the Mediterranean fleet, of such good effect, should be copied and circulated in the Channel fleet. At the same time, he addressed a courteous but firm circular to all Admirals and Captains, desiring their co-operation. In short, he gave them distinctly to understand, that the stigmatized 'discipline of the Mediterranean' was to be introduced and rigidly enforced in the Channel fleet.

The fleet encountered a tremendous gale. The Ville de Paris having weathered Ushant, scudded, pitched, and rolled most fearfully. An enormous sea struck her, stove in her stern windows, flooding the Admiral's cabin. As the great three-decker was staggering awfully under the blow, our author tells us- The Commander-in-chief was on the quarterdeck, sitting in the bight of the main-topsail, in which a seat to windward had been formed for him; two quartermas ters were stationed beside him, to assist his infirm and aged frame; and from thence he gave his orders to his fleet. When this sea struck the Ville de Paris, it literally deluged the quarterdeck; and, on one of the quartermasters shaking the water out of his neck, "Pooh, pooh, man!" said the old Admiral: "stand still, and do as I do— let it alone-don't you see it will run off you?”'

On returning to the blockade of Brest, means were effectually adopted to keep up a supply of provisions-fresh meat and vegetables-and also of water. The Captains were indignant at being compelled to mount guard at the watering-place, to prevent confusion and desertion; and it was proposed to make a representation on the subject. Lord St. Vincent hearing of this intention, stopped it by intimating to them, that when in command of the Foudroyant he had always taken his turn of this duty; ' and that think or do, write or say, what they might or choose, he was determined that, while he commanded the Channel fleet, his captains should perform their duty.'

So great had been the relaxation of discipline under the late Commander-in-chief, (Lord Bridport, who was mostly absent in town,) that the officers were constantly on shore-many who had families slept on Lord St. Vincent was never wanting in shore; the men, of course, obtained leave expedients to convey a well-timed rebuke to in shoals, and the consequence was, and an officer, without passing a direct censure could not be otherwise, immense desertion-upon him; and at the same time in such a not fewer than seventy or eighty in a single way as to make him feel the rebuke more ship. Lord St. Vincent saw that not a moment was to be lost in putting a stop to an evil of such portentous magnitude; and that this could only be done by forbidding the Captains and all the Officers from sleeping Desertion ceased: and the order, as if by magic, re-manned the ships. But to save his fleet, Lord St. Vincent took upon himself,' to use the words of Mr. Tucker, frowns afloat and maledictions on shore.' Of the latter he gives an illustration, by relating that one lady, in full coterie, gave as a bumper toast-' May his next glass of wine choke the wretch! It may be doubted whether the husband of this virago did not find himself more comfortable afloat than at home.

on shore.

keenly. A certain Rear-Admiral in command of the in-shore squadron, not much liking his position, occasioned his Commander-in-chief some annoyance by frequent complaints about the shoalness of the water so near to the coast. In order to convince the Rear-Admiral how groundless his remonstrances were, he made use of a practical demonstration, by leading the main body of the fleet considerably within him, sailing round him, and standing out again. Very soon afterwards, the RearAdmiral was advised to go home and recruit his health.'*

suppress his name, as every body knows it was *It appears very unnecessary in Mr. Tucker to